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B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Got problems with your B2 or B3? Share and get helped!
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

Hi,

I've installed the B3 as a firewall+server+router and I'm surfing in Wi-Fi.

Everything is fine except when, in order to connect to my company VPN, i start my VPN Client (Standard PPTP protocol). Surfing and using remote applications (i.e. Citrix) becomes extremely painful due to slow responses.

Everything was ok when using my old router so it's not about my client.

Any suggestion on how to improve speed or to check if anything is wrong on my installation?

I planning to revert to old Router and use Bubba as, sadly, a server only.

Thanks,

Fabio
Cheeseboy
Posts: 789
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 12:16

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by Cheeseboy »

Hi fabio,

This is just a hunch, but you might want to look into the following articles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_transmission_unit
http://www.debianhelp.co.uk/mtu.htm

Best regards,

CheeseBoy
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

Thanks,

I'm looking at it and trying some tools. This is also happening not only with VPN mode.

I have so many dropped packet if I simply ping my router.....
Cheeseboy
Posts: 789
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 12:16

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by Cheeseboy »

If you have an Android phone, I recommend WiFiAnalyzer.
It will tell you what channels are congested.

Edit:
I did not make it clear that WiFiAnalyzer is a free app for Android...
Last edited by Cheeseboy on 11 Jul 2011, 12:45, edited 1 time in total.
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

I've ran an analyzed and I've seen that:

1 +- host: 192.168.2.1 max: 1500 bytes
2 -++++++++-++- host: 192.168.100.1 max: 1492 bytes
3 +- host: 172.17.17.133 max: 1492 bytes


I have MTU of 1500 from my Notebook to the B3, then the Cisco router has instead 1492 of MTU

I will try change the MTU ;)

Thx for now,

Fabio
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

I tried changing MTU without success and re-installed to have a clear situation. BTW, shouldn't Bubba be easy as an iPhone?

Nothing changed though, also without VPN, using Bubba as a gateway is almost impossible.

This is the output of "netstat -s -p tcp":

TCP Statistics for IPv4

Active Opens = 37675
Passive Opens = 187
Failed Connection Attempts = 14818
Reset Connections = 4592
Current Connections = 19
Segments Received = 2211786
Segments Sent = 2638986
Segments Retransmitted = 58043


Not a very good situation.....

And the same things happens using another client.

All the issues errors and retransmission are between Notebook and Bubba. Network stats from Bubba to outside world are perfect, 0 errors.

There must be something with the Wi-Fi....even though I'm the only in the building with wifi....

Bah...
RandomUsername
Posts: 904
Joined: 09 Oct 2009, 18:49

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by RandomUsername »

Just so I'm clear. You have a B3 wifi. It's not acting as a VPN endpoint or anything, it's just passing traffic between your netbook and the VPN at work. Am I right?
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

Hi,

yes, configuration is:

ADSL MODEM (transparent mode) ---- BUBBA WIFI (DHCP/Gateway) ---- NOTEBOOK WIFI


No VPN end point or other, just plain connection.
RandomUsername
Posts: 904
Joined: 09 Oct 2009, 18:49

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by RandomUsername »

That's weird. I don't understand why one type of traffic would be worse than other type.
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

me too, I can't understand why so many dropped packets and I don't know how to troubleshoot.

As of now the only way is to revert to standard Linksys modem and trash Bubba for Routing...600$ for a what my old WD was already accomplishing is expensive thought....

Any other suggestions?
RandomUsername
Posts: 904
Joined: 09 Oct 2009, 18:49

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by RandomUsername »

All I can tell you is that I never had a problem connecting to my work's Cisco VPN through either my Bubba 2 or now my B3.

Have you tried something like WireShark to see what's happening?
johannes
Posts: 1470
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 07:12
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by johannes »

Is your problems only related to WiFi? So if you connect via cable it works fine? In that case I think you should do a wifi analysis (as suggested by Cheeseboy) to find out what might be the cause.
/Johannes (Excito co-founder a long time ago, but now I'm just Johannes)
fabio
Posts: 21
Joined: 03 Jul 2011, 09:09

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by fabio »

Hi,

i confirm that with the cable i got only 1 packet lost out of hundreds.

BTW, if I do the tests with WiFi very near to the B3 (50cm), the numbers of packets lost is smaller (1 out of 10 or 12).

If I move by some meters (i.e. 8, going to another room), the dropped packets increase exponentially (1 out of 4 is lost).

So it looks like there's for sure something about WiFi. I tried changing channel but nothing changes.

If I switch to old Linksys, everything is instead fine (despite having one single antenna).
johannes
Posts: 1470
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 07:12
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by johannes »

Ok, could be some of these problems:

* defect B3
* problem with colliding traffic. I am not sure what settings you have now and what your Linksys uses, but please try changing to 'g only' and also try laborating with channels. If nothing helps, please send it to us for repair (excito.com/bubba/rma).
/Johannes (Excito co-founder a long time ago, but now I'm just Johannes)
Ubi
Posts: 1549
Joined: 17 Jul 2007, 09:01

Re: B3: Poor performance when using VPN client

Post by Ubi »

If you want to know if there's is colliding traffic, theres the free programs inSSIDer (www.metageek.net/products/inssider/) and NetStumbler (www.netstumbler.com) for windows clients.
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